I'm Fine!
by AniLovesMe
Summary: When Alaina gets sick, she won't admit it. Neither would Captain Kirk, but that doesn't stop him from sending her to sickbay and coming up with his own way to force his cousin to rest. 3rd in a series one-shots about her experiences aboard the Enterprise


**One-shot number 3! I hope you like it! Please let me know what you think!**

**~Ani  
**

Jim Kirk silently watched Yeoman Alaina from his chair as she walked across the bridge. She seemed different today; she was being uncharacteristically quiet and she was a little paler than usual. His eyes trailed her as she went around to various officers, delivering messages and retrieving papers before she finally came over to him.

She quickly coughed before speaking. "Several supply re-stock requests need your signature, and I received a message from Starfleet saying that…" She paused to cough, then continued. "Excuse me. Saying that Admiral Chase would like to speak with you, so when you get a chance, they want you to contact them." She told him.

Now that she was near, he could distinguish dark circles under her eyes. Hardly noticeable, but they were there. After looking over and signing the supply request forms, he stood up. "Thank you, Alaina." He regarded her closer and realized that she looked ill. As if to confirm his thoughts, she coughed again. "You alright?" He asked.

"Of course." She said. He raised an eyebrow, but she pretended not to notice and went back to work. A few minutes later, Mr. Spock called her over and asked her to deliver a PADD of instructions to Mr. Scott down in Engineering. As he handed her the PADD, he also noticed her condition.

"Yeoman, I must ask, are you feeling well?" He asked.

She blinked. The same question twice in three minutes? It seemed she couldn't hide being sick very well…

She forced a smile and cleared her throat to keep from coughing. "Yes." She answered. In addition to Jim, Spock was generally genuine toward her and she could tell he cared about her. But sometimes she wished both he and Jim couldn't read her so well. She used to be able to hide her feelings rather effectively, but lately, it seemed like she was an open book, begging people to come and read its pages.

Jim overheard the Commander's question and turned. Spock quirked an eyebrow of doubt and looked her over, but decided to leave the matter be. He turned back to his work. Relieved, Alaina began to walk toward the elevator doors.

"Alaina, come here." Jim called. She turned and when she reached him he held up his hand. Realizing what he was about to do, she stepped away. But Jim, quick to catch on, reached out and pulled her forward. He placed his palm on her forehead.

"What are you doing?!" She said, frustrated. She hated being sick and she'd been trying to ignore it all day. But now that Jim knew, there was no way she would be doing that anymore.

"You're hot," he stated. There was a choking sound from across the room, and they both looked to see Uhura coughing down her water. Placing a hand on her chest, she took a deep breath and cleared her throat, quickly turning her attention back to the screen in front of her with amusement in her eyes. Jim shot her an evil glare before continuing. "Maybe you should go see Bones-"

Alaina cut him off. "No! I'm fine."

"I, too, agree, Alaina. You do not appear well. It would be a logical decision to see Doctor McCoy." Spock said.

"I'm fine!" She repeated. But the cough that rose in her throat effectively contradicted her words.

Jim was resolved. "Ally, get to Medical Bay." She opened her mouth to protest, but it didn't go far. "Now," Jim said, staring her down.

He held out his hand for the PADD she was holding. She reluctantly obliged. She crossed her arms, whirled around, and after giving Spock and Jim an angry look, she stalked into the elevator.

****

Taking a deep breath as soon as the elevator doors closed, Alaina began to cough. She tried to stop, but the coughs kept coming until they shook her entire body. She forced a pause and inhaled. She'd been trying not to cough so much on the bridge and it had all just backfired. She decided it wouldn't be such a good idea to do that again. She managed to catch her breath before the lift reached its destination and she strode out and into Medical Bay. Nurse Chapel greeted her.

"What can I help you with?"

She turned away and tried to stifle an unintentional cough, without success.

"I see." Nurse Chapel said, nonchalantly. "Take a seat. I'll get Dr. McCoy."

She walked over to the nearest biobed and sat down, her feet dangling a few inches above the floor. Medical Bay was almost empty at this time of day, and a moment later McCoy came up to her. He picked up a scanner that was sitting on a shelf.

"Not feeling well, kid?" He asked, running it over her forehead.

She shrugged. That was the good thing about Bones. He could read his patients incredibly well. She could have any kind of sickness; she could go in and not say a word and he would know exactly what was wrong.

"I'll take that as a yes," He said, looking at the screen on the scanner. "Your temperature is one-hundred and one degrees." He regarded her, concern in his eyes. He checked her over; everything else seemed to be fine. "I'm going to give you a vaccine to pull your fever down, it'll make you drowsy." He told her, grabbing the needle from a nearby shelf. "Why didn't you come here sooner?"

"I wouldn't have come at all if it wasn't for my stupid cousin and his oh-so-logical Commander." She said, irritation rising in her voice. She coughed once more.

"Well," Bones said, raising his eyebrows for a moment. "If it wasn't for the stupid cousin, you might've been a lot worse than you are now." He injected her neck with the vaccine without warning, which resulted in a startled jump and her glaring daggers into his back when he turned to put the equipment away. She coughed again.

Hearing this, Bones knew she most likely had fluid in her lungs. He picked up a cup and filled it with water, taking two little green pills from a bottle and placing them in her hands.

"What's this?" She asked.

"For your cough."

She looked at them skeptically, but took them, and Bones continued.

"You should probably go back to your quarters and get some rest now."

"I can't." She stated. "I have work to do."

"You're not the only one, kid." He stated. "I'm not ordering you, but it would be a lot better if you cooperated."

She smirked. "I'm a Kirk." She said. "We make it a point not to cooperate with something at least once a day."

"I've noticed." Bones said, rolling his eyes. He walked away, and after a few moments Alaina figured the examination was over. She hoped off the table and walked out of Medical Bay.

***

Commander Spock took another sip of his coffee as he stared inquiringly at the young Yeoman. She was at a table by herself, and from the looks of things, she'd lost her appetite. She'd pushed her sandwich aside and had resorted to soundly sipping her beverage.

"Captain." Spock said as Jim walked by. He turned. "I am inquiring about Yeoman Alaina. She visited Doctor McCoy, did she not?"

"She'd better have." Jim answered, narrowing his eyes in Alaina's direction.

"She still appears ill. Perhaps you should… check on her."

Jim looked from Spock to Alaina, then back to Spock. He smiled.

"You're right."

***

Alaina was silently, slowly sipping her tea when Jim appeared and sat across from her. She glanced up at him, but continued drinking.

"How'd it go with Bones?" He asked.

She put her cup down.

"He gave me a vaccine to keep my fever down."

"And?"

"And gave me something for my cough."

Jim stared at her. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. He noticed the sandwich she'd pushed aside and narrowed his eyes. Alaina thought that he was going to order her back to sickbay. After a moment, he spoke.

"What was your temperature?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes, disgusted by how her cousin seemed to know _everything,_ but answered. "One-hundred and one." She took another sip of her tea. He raised his eyebrows and sat back.

Instead of continuing to interrogate her, he decided to lighten the mood. "Spock's worried about you, you know."

Alaina couldn't help but smile at that. "Spock?" She asked.

Jim smiled and gave a curt nod. She laughed. But her laughter soon turned into a fit of coughing and his smile immediately faded. "What _else _did Bones say?" He asked once she had calmed down.

If Jim found out that Bones had told her to rest and she hadn't, he'd order her. That was something she definitely could not go against. She decided to avoid the question.

"It doesn't matter." She said, standing up. "I'm fine." She put her untouched sandwich in the trash and walked out of the cafeteria. Jim stayed in his seat, his eyes following her out.

"That did not appear to go well," Spock said as he stepped up beside Jim. Jim didn't answer. He was concerned; Ally hadn't gotten sick since right after she had come on board the _Enterprise_; just over a year ago. He knew Bones had told her to rest and that Ally had refused. It was just the kind of thing he would do (and had done, in many past experiences). She was clearly miserable and he didn't understand why she wouldn't take the time to get better. He'd had enough of her stubbornness. She was going to rest, whether she liked it or not.

***

Alaina put her head in her hands. To her dismay, she didn't think she could last much longer. McCoy had been true to his word – the vaccine was catching up with her and it was definitely making her drowsy. It had started about an hour ago, and ever since then she'd been having the hardest time concentrating. She'd accidentally mixed up a few files and Spock had almost signed the animal-control request form instead of the monthly systems check report. All she could think of was sleep. She sighed and slowly lifted her head back up, but gasped. She was face-to-face with Jim.

"Tired?" He asked rather cheerfully.

This was weird. He was definitely up to something. She looked at him warily, and was indeed so tired that she actually nodded. She realized what she did, but before she could react, Jim swiveled her chair around and scooped her up into his arms.

"What are you _doing?_!" She yelled. The crew on the bridge all turned their attention to the commotion.

"You need rest." Jim said. "If you won't go, then I'll take you myself." He began walking toward the elevator.

"Jim, no!" She said. She struggled and kicked in his arms, but he held her strong. Watching from his station, Spock raised an eyebrow as the two argued back and forth, Jim finally stepping into the elevator. After the doors closed and the bridge crew finally went back to work, there was a smirk in Spock's eyes.

A very unusual technique, but quite effective.

***

After a few minutes of struggling, Alaina gave up. There was no way she was going to win this argument, and she was currently trapped in the arms of her cousin. It was a little embarrassing, walking through the ship like that with people staring as they went past, but Jim didn't seem to care. After a moment, she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"You win." She said.

He laughed. "I'm the Captain." He said. "I always win."

"And I hate it."

"You love it," he said, laughing again. They reached her quarters and he set her down on the bed. He sat down next to her with a smile. She couldn't help but smile back. He put his palm on her forehead again, and this time she didn't resist. "Not as bad as it was." He said.

She smiled again wondered where in the world he learned to be such a sweet, loving cousin. Despite her thoughts to the contrary, she was actually grateful to finally be able to sleep. She yawned.

"Get some sleep." He said. He winked at her and walked out the door.


End file.
